The urbanization of contemporary violence and conflict is challenging the ability of the United Nations, national governments, and the international system to respond. Sustaining Peace in an Urban World is an initiative to provoke new thinking and approaches that are needed in global policy frameworks to address urban conflict beyond short-term emergency responses, to bring long-term and durable solutions in cities. In 2016, Terreform, in collaboration with member states, UN agencies and the Center on International Cooperation at NYU and the Foundation for Achieving Seamless Territory (FAST), hosted two high-level forums at the United Nations. We brought together UN officials, policy makers, architects, geographers and NGOs to look at peace and conflict from a spatial lens.

Sustaining Peace in an Urban World, through publications, colloquies and design will investigate through disciplines such as geography, architecture and urban design, opportunities for sustaining peace beyond the traditional peace-building toolbox. In conflict-affected cities, civil institutions stop functioning, critical health and education systems break down, infrastructure is destroyed, populations are uprooted and violence and criminality can become commonplace. Urban perspectives can help positively shape the urban fabric, open up new opportunities for development and livelihoods, and foster the sense of belonging and cohesion in communities towards sustainable and durable peace.

Economist Intelligence UnitConsultant

Production of microfinance country profiles for Egypt, Morocco, Yemen, Jordan and Lebanon for the global report: Global Microscope on Microfinance (2011, 2012 and 2013) and the Global Microscope on Financial Inclusion (2014 and 2015).

Produced the Global Migration Index (2015) covering Bahrain, Turkey and Morocco. This index focused on the regulations and institutions pertaining to migration.

Completed city profiles for Cairo, Alexandria and Beirut for the EIU/Citi 2025 Global City Competitiveness Index Project (2013).

UNHCRConsultant

Reviewed and edited papers on Sri Lankan refugees in India and Burmese refugees in Bangladesh for publication in the 'New Issues in Refugee Research' series.

UNDP - BCPRConsultant

January - March 2012

Wrote keynote speeches:

Helen Clark, Administrator UNDP, at the NGO working group on the Security Council Meeting.
(http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter/speeches/2012/02/13/helen-clark-at-the-ngo-working-group-on-the-security-council-meeting.html)

Complied weekly political analysis roundups for the Director, BCPR. Introduced social media tools, such as Twitter to BCPR staff, including the Director. Edited meeting briefs and talking points.

December 2010 - January 2011

Editing and researching three documents on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): the
Transitional Solutions Initiative; A Strategic Review of IDPs: A UNDP Position Paper; Ending Displacement in the Aftermath of Conflict: Preliminary Framework for Supporting a more coherent, predictable and effective response to reintegration of displaced population.

Production of a regional project proposal for women’s political participation in the Arab world. In addition to all the regular elements of a project proposal, the task included the development of a regional funding mechanism specific to the needs of UN Women’s programming modalities.

Creation of briefing notes on political updates in the Arab region for the Under-Secretary General.

Reviewed, edited and wrote Annual Work Plans (AWP) for UN Women Country Offices in the Arab world.

Production of the report: The Libyan Investment Authority: Sanctions and Post-Conflict Reconstruction.

Executive Summary

The future of the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA), a multi-billion sovereign wealth fund, is intimately entwined with that of post-Qaddafi Libya. The triangulation of short term stabilization and reconstruction needs, efforts to accomplish long-term oriented economic development, and the existence of considerable financial resources will dictate the future direction of the country.
This analysis synthesizes information released regarding the LIA, and Libyan state assets more broadly, since the start of the revolution, assesses the complex process of freezing and unfreezing Libyan assets, and outlines possible future directions for the LIA.

Responsibility included: Creation of Issue Brief for publication. This included: overseeing the work of ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Events Dataset) and their production of disaggregated conflict analysis and crisis mapping for Lebanon; expert interviews in Lebanon on armed violence; and a literature review of armed violence in Lebanon.

Creation of a research report on armed violence in and around Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon and Palestinian- Lebanese armed violence in general.
Preparation of Issue Briefs for publication.This included editing previous issue briefs on security provision in Southern Lebanon and the creation of an Issue Brief on small arms holdings in Southern Lebanon.

The consultancy was commissioned by the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee
(LPDC) part of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.The LPDC is an inter-ministerial committee working on Palestinian refugee issues in Lebanon and reports directly to the Prime Minister. In a process to review their five year strategy and progress, they commissioned a comprehensive report. This report is the first official document to outline the Government of Lebanon’s official policy towards the Palestinian refugees.

Responsibilities included:
Assistance in the creation of policy related briefing papers concerning the June 2009 general elections and May 2010 municipal elections.
Briefing of journalists, diplomats and NGO workers on the role of IFES in the electoral reform of Lebanon.
Formulation of a communication strategy that included the creation of an independent election analysis blog (www.lebelections.blogspot.com) for diplomats, electoral observers and foreign correspondents.

Preparation of the ILO led conference entitled the Arab Employment Forum. The conference was attended by the Ministers of Labour from the region, in addition to other relevant delegates.

Responsibilities included:
Creation of 22 country profiles on labour standards for the Arab region for the ‘Arab Employment Forum’. Task included primary research of papers and writing up final documents to be published.
Providing research material and copywriting for the main conference document: The Global Financial, Economic and Social Crisis and the Arab Countries.
Providing content for the ILO website.